1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to a reflector for flashlights and other light emitting objects. More specifically, it relates to a generally deep dish shaped reflector member having a depth greater than the average diameter of a forward open end thereof for providing an efficient focused beam of light.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of reflectors have been proposed for flashlights and other light emitting objects.
Matthews, U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,730, discloses a flashlight having a head with two merged yet independent lamp/reflector systems. While Matthews teaches the provision of two reflectors, both reflectors are simply used to independently focus light from two light sources into the forwardly directed beam configurations.
McDermott, U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,196, discloses a compact lighting device including a light concentrating reflector directing light emitted by a light source toward a curved light refracting surface where it is refracted and thereby redirected. McDermott teaches the generation of substantially elliptical patterns of light.
Sharrah et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,272, discloses a flashlight having a lamp head including a reflector having a major paraboloid reflective surface and a minor reflective paraboloid surface not interacting on the same light source.
Matthews et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,572, discloses a flashlight having a flashlight beam is cast with a first lamp and reflector and an alternative second lamp and reflector assembly is substituted for the first lamp and reflector to provide a different configuration of beam illumination.
Goldfarb, U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,889, discloses a flashlight having a generally parabolic reflector and a beam-narrowing lens.
Uke, U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,381, discloses a lamp reflector of at least partially parabolic shape with a light source mounted at the focus. A lens is mounted between the light source and the open forward end a collimating pillar of transparent material is disclosed as extending inwardly from the center of the open end toward the lens.
Ellion, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,649, discloses a flashlight with an enhanced spot beam and fully illuminated broad beam. A modified parabolic reflector is disclosed.
Fox, U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,661, discloses a metal arc flashlight. An elliptical reflector focus emitted light onto a diffusion screen and a movable collimating lens is disposed in front of the screen making the beam adjustable.
Ellion, U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,962, discloses a flashlight reflector which allegedly produces no bright and dull rings by utilizing more precise manufacturing tolerances.
Sedovic et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,084, discloses a reflector for a flashlight having a pair of opposing walls forming a rectangular opening of area projection.
Peterson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,416, discloses a flashlight which utilizes a rotating reflector to eliminate a dark center ring which results if a light source is moved away from the focal point of a parabolically shaped reflector.
Hartley, U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,020, discloses a flashlight utilizing a light emitting diode light source with light dispersed away from a central axis. A collimating reflector is then utilized to produce a beam of light. Various diffusion methods are described.
Kish, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,567, discloses a flashlight which has a reflector which is axially movable with respect to the bulb to afford adjustable focusing of the light emitted from the bulb. The reflector also utilizes a facetted parabolic surface on a portion of the reflector.
Maglica, U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,960, discloses a miniature flashlight including a parabolic reflector such that rotation of the head relative to the barrel of the flashlight changes the focus of the flashlight beam.
Maglica, U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,182, discloses flashlight having a reflector and switch housing. The switch housing partially floats within the flashlight tube to allow for slight adjustment of the lamp relative to the reflector to insure centering of the lamp.
Sommers et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,160, discloses a flashlight which utilizes a semiconductor light source a reflector and a lens to focus the light. In one embodiment three light sources with three reflectors and three lens are utilized to direct light toward a target area.
Osterhout et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,632 discloses a flashlight which utilizes a LED light source and a parabolic reflector 30 (FIG. 2).
There remains a need for a reflector for flashlights and other light emitting objects which efficiently focus the light into a bright tightly focused beam.